This image was captured on 4 June 2019, during President Trump's recent visit to the United Kingdom. Here, Donald Trump is seen with his daughter, Ivanka, and others, while touring Winston Churchill's sleeping quarters (a part of the Churchill War Room Museum) located beneath the Treasury building in the Whitehall area of Westminster.
What follows is a nonverbal analysis of this moment.
In this close-up of his face, we can see President Trump's upper and particularly his lower eyelids are tense. His mid-face is dramatically tightened - with his nostrils considerably flared and his 'mustache-area' extremely contracted.
His Jaw is Jutting forward - indicative of an Adrenaline Surge. Simultaneously, his lips are curled inward - covering his teeth with his mouth slightly opened in what is termed, an Inward Lip Roll. An Inward Lip Roll shows an attempt to suppress strong emotions from crescendoing.
In this moment the President's face is projecting considerable anger.
Note the placement of Trump's hands. His thumbs are hooked behind the waist of his pants, gripping his belt. The long-axes of each of his forearms-wrists-hands are directed at his groin. More specifically, his right index finger (the most dominant of all his digits) is also pointing directly at his genital region.
In a very general sense, this body language gesture is an example of a "MAP Surrogate" (Manipulator, Adaptor, Pacifier). More exactly, it's an example of a variation of a Partial Emblematic Slip.
Trump's nonverbal behavior in this moment is dramatic and profoundly out of context. It's a Hyper-Alpha Sexual Display wherein Donald Trump is attempting to project an amalgam of his perceived virility and sexual dominance - along with his anger and sexual aggression.
Moreover, and of profound importance, at no time should sexual expression/sexual projection be accompanied by anger. It's never remotely healthy when these two emotions overlap.
Ivanka's head and neck are bowed. Her shoulders are slumped while her eyes are looking down - fixed and staring - primarily center-down, but slightly to her right. This is the direction of gaze associated with guilt, shame, regret, and sadness. She is caught off-guard and emotionally distressed.
Ivanka is whole-body pointing toward her father. Ivanka's hands are in a Fig-Leaf configuration (also known as Genital Guarding). In this context, this is a deeply-Beta, low-confidence, deferential posture with strong overtones for protection.
Summary: The nonverbal behavior captured in this photograph reflects the stark contrast between the two Trumps' thought-emotions.
Donald is Hyper-Alpha - but Ivanka is deeply beta. Donald is pointing
at his genitals - while Ivanka is protecting hers. Donald is projecting
sexual aggressiveness and anger - yet Ivanka is feeling submissive,
shame, and sadness.
President Trump reportedly pressured John Kelly (then, his Chief of Staff) as well as Don McGahn (then, White House Counsel) to issue Top Secret security clearances to both his daughter Ivanka and her husband, Jared Kushner, despite Kelly's and McGahn's recommendations against it. After the White House Personnel Security Office raised concerns - and both Kelly's and McGahn's refusals - Trump overruled them, granting clearances to his daughter and son-in-law.
What follows is a partial nonverbal analysis of a portion of an interview Ivanka Trump gave on 7 February 2019 in which the subject of possible special treatment of her and Jared's security clearances was raised.
ABBY HUNTSMAN (beginning at 1:00 in the above video): Th - there are a lot of people that question whether - you were given special treatment by the President overriding other -
IVANKA TRUMP: [over-talking] Absolutely not.
ABBY HUNTSMAN: [continuing] officials. Can you - speak to that?
IVANKA TRUMP: There were anonymous leaks about there being issues - buuuut - the President had no involvement - pertaining to my clearance or my husband's clearance - zero.
ABBY HUNTSMAN: [over-talking] What, what were the problems? Early on?
IVANKA TRUMP: There WEREN'T any!
ABBY HUNTSMAN: So no special treatment?
IVANKA TRUMP: No.
At the end of Abby Huntsman's statement (and interrupting Huntsman, before she had asked a question), Ivanka Trump closes her eyelids for a prolonged duration before and as she begins to say, "Absolutely not".
Note that initially, as she speaks the first syllable of the word, "Absolutely" - she begins to shake her head side-to-side (no), moving first to her left - and then back to her mid-line. Then, for the remainder of the word "Absolutely" and, continuing through the word "not", she nods her head, vertically, in the affirmative.
During the last syllable of "Absolutely", if you look carefully, you'll also see another signal - an evanescent one - a microexpression of contempt displayed on the right side (her right) of Ivanka's mid-face. This is subtle - but momentously telling. We cannot say to whom her contempt was directed (Ms. Huntsman, John Kelly, Don McGahn, other White House staff, etc.), but there's no doubt, Ivanka felt contempt in this moment. Please look for this subtlety while watching the video at full speed, then at 1/2 speed, 1/4 speed - and then again at full speed. Repeat this cycle several times. Whenever you see a microexpression, viewing and reviewing it in this manner will enhance your ability to spot these crucial signals.
Ivanka Trump's nonverbal behavior tells us what she was truly
thinking-feeling. Her body language betrays her - showing us she was
agreeing with Ms. Huntsman's preface - that she and Jared Kushner were given special
treatment by the President - thus overriding other senior White House staff's objections regarding their security clearances.
Moreover,
the word, "not" is barely audible. Her, again, this paralanguage
behavior tells us the truth. So, although she says, "Absolutely not" -
unless you're listening carefully, you'll hear, "Absolutely". We could indeed stop the video right here - and this cluster of behavior alone would be a profoundly compelling indication of deception. But let's continue.
Just after Ms. Huntsman asks, "Can you - speak to that?", Ivanka Trump looks down to her right as she begins answering, "There were anon-". This is the quadrant toward which most people look when they're lying.
As she says the word, "leaks", Ivanka displays a feigned expression of fear - morphed with a suppressed smile. This captures a moment of schadenfreude - as the President's daughter expresses joy that some of those individuals doing the leaking were caught.
It's noteworthy here, that the word, "leaks" was spoken with an up-talking and crescendoing vocal characteristic. In this context, simultaneous with this body language - this vocal pattern betrays duplicity.
Then, immediately after she says "leaks", she performs a quick, jerking motion from her right-to-left, in a hair flip. This alpha-swagger dynamic further amplifies her schadenfreude in the catching a White House leaker.
During her next sentence, as she says, "the President" ("... but - the President had no involvement - pertaining to my clearance or my husband's clearance ..."), Ms. Trump again looks down to her right - the quadrant we most often look to during deception.
After Ms. Huntsman asks, "What, what were the problems? Early on?", Ivanka Trump raises her voice quite dramatically, saying, "There WEREN'T any!".
Notice that her eyes open very widely. Simultaneously, Trump's medial (inner) eyebrows lower (although this is diminished due to the effects of Botox). These nonverbal signals are significant for Anger-Rage.
In addition, the President's daughter shrugs her shoulders at this same time signifying the thought-emotions of:
• I don't know
• I don't care
• What does it matter?
• What could I do?
Another curious display in this moment involves Ms. Trump's voice. She rarely loses her temper in public, but for an instant here, she did just that. And, as her voice elevates in volume - its pitch also increases. Note that her breathy vocal fry disappears during this moment of anger-rage - as she momentarily drops her facade.
After Abby Huntsman asks, "So no special treatment?", Ivanka Trump again shrugs her shoulders and answers, "No" - amidst a prolonged blink.
Listen very carefully to the way Trump answers, "No." Play it over several times. Notice that it's high pitched - and crescendoing. This vocal quality indicates lower confidence. A confident rebuttal would have been spoken with a lower tone - and would be much more likely to decrescendo or plateau.
In addition, and this is subtle, but halfway through the word, "No", her pitch changes - the "o" has two different tones. This vocal pattern also indicates lower confidence in her answer - and again, is consistent with deception.
Summary: Ivanka Trump's nonverbal, verbal, and paralanguage behavior exhibited during this portion of this interview - indicates she is being deceptive - and that President Trump did indeed order that both she and her husband, Jared Kushner, be given top-secret security clearance.
Here's the Rub: to note similar times when someone who you may indeed like and trust - exhibits similar nonverbal behavior (e.g., in everyday scenarios). Would you then be able to spot their deception? If we fall victim to our (very human) confirmation biases - most people NOT be able to spot the lie, the insincerity, and the manipulation - until it's too late. How skilled are you at spotting deception?
On Wednesday, 28 November 2018, an interview with Ivanka Trump aired on Good Morning America. What follows is a partial nonverbal analysis of a crucial portion of that interview.
DEBORAH ROBERTS (continuing at 2:30): How concerned are you about the Mueller investigation?
IVANKA TRUMP: I'm not.
DEBORAH ROBERTS: You're not?
IVANKA TRUMP: I - I know the facts as they relate to me - 'nd - and my family - annnd [sic] I have nothing to be concerned about.
DEBORAH ROBERTS: Do you think it should continue?
IVANKA TRUMP: I think it should reach its conclusion. I think it's been a long time - that this has been ongoing - but, I want it to be done in a way in which nobody could question - thaaat [sic] it was hurried or rushed - and I think after this lonnng [sic] period of time, we're well beyond that point. So I think that it absolutely should reach its conclusion.
and a bit later ...
DEBORAH ROBERTS (continuing at 3:23): But many people say that your father is doing nothing to heal - if, if anything he's creating more of a climate for hatred and for fear mongering. What do you say to that?
IVANKA TRUMP: I reject that. I think that he is - creating policy that's going to lift all Americans - annnd [sic] - that's - what his number one role is. But we need to have this dialog - annnd [sic] sometimes the expressions of anger and resistance arrre [sic] the moment before you really start to engage in earnest, and, and we are looking to do that.
DEBORAH ROBERTS (continuing at 4:00): But his tone doesn't reflect that and there 're people who are wondering as a White House advisor, do you advise him on his tone?
IVANKA TRUMP: [deep inhaling] He's - my father and he's my boss ...
During 2:33, just after Deborah Roberts asks, "How concerned are you about the Mueller investigation?", Ivanka Trump looks straight down and forward. Her mouth is slightly tightened as the area just above her upper lip and below her nose tightens. This is an expression of fear-sadness.
During 2:35, just after Ms. Robert's asks again, "You're not?", Ivanka Trump displays a classic Microexpression of Regret - as Ms. Trump's left mouth corner makes a very quick movement laterally. You may describe this as a "twitch". Watch this at regular speed, then at 1/2 speed, then at 1/4 - and again at full speed. Repeat this several times and then review this segment in this same manner multiple times a week. This practice will help you to become more adept at discerning microexpressions.
(Bear in mind, that regret is one of many emotions which may be projected via a microexpression).
Just after she says, "I - I know the facts as they relate to me - ", Ivanka looks down to HER right (2:38). This is the quadrant to which people will often look when they're feeling emotions of guilt, shame, and/or sadness - all feelings which commonly occur during deception. Ms. Trump's eyelids are opened wider in this instant - a manifestation of fear.
Three seconds earlier (during 2:35), Ivanka closed her eyes for a prolonged duration. Both this extended blink and her previous directional gaze - down and to her right - are each forms of diminished eye contact which are seen during deception.
Notice also, Ivanka says, "I - I know the facts as they relate to me - 'nd - and my family - annnd [sic] I have nothing to be concerned about."
She stutters, stretches out her words, and, crucially she separates herself, "I know the facts as they relate to me" - and then includes her family. She also says, "I have nothing to be concerned about" - rather than "We have nothing to be concerned about".
In statement analysis terms, these are examples of distancing behavior. She is verbally creating a protective space - between herself and the others - Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump - and her husband, Jared Kushner. This paralanguage behavior is a profound red flag.
During 2:59, just after she says, "... and I think after this lonnng [sic] period of time...", her knee raises after she raises up on her toes. While her hand movement here was voluntary and well-practiced (Ivanka has better nonverbal skills than her father, brothers, or husband), her leg movement was involuntary and betrayed her heightened level of anxiety.
Then, during 3:01 - 3:04, as she says, "So I think that it absolutely should reach its conclusion", Ivanka Trump then places each hand on the front portion of the seat of her chair with elbows locked and straightened. This hand-arm configuration is a significant anxiety tell.
During 3:34 - 3:35, as she says, "I reject that", Ivanka Trump displays what is known as a Self-Righteous Head Wiggle.
A Self-Righteous Head Wiggle is characterized by relatively rapid, side-to-side movements of the head and neck - and is often accompanied by a similar movement of the torso (and sometimes by shoulder shrugs, which are seen here).
Sometimes the Self-Righteous Head Wiggle (SRHW) will be very short-lived (a near-microexpression) - however in this example, although still relatively brief, it's of a longer duration (about a second).
The SRHW is commonly displayed by individuals who are in the midst of hyper-alpha moments of particularly high confidence while expressing especially strong opinions - ergo its synonyms of High Confidence Head Wiggle or the Hubris Head Shake.
The SRHW is virtually always subconsciously generated and very rarely feigned. It's somewhat helpful to think of it as a form of nonverbal swagger.
It's also crucial to emphasize that the dynamics of a SRHW are not captured in a still image and must be viewed in motion (please view the video several times).
In this example, the SRHW also has an additional overlying backward motion component. This extra movement is displayed when contempt, disgust, and/or incredulity are also present (in this example all three are seen) - or a superimposed forward motion (when condescending emotions coexist).
Fascinatingly, the vocal pitch grows higher during the Self-Righteous Head Wiggle - providing an outstanding example of the congruity between paralanguage and body language. Please re-watch this and listen to Ivanka Trump's voice momentarily increase a half an octave.
Two seconds later, during 3:35 - 3:36 as she says, "I think that he is ..." (and just prior to her saying, "creating policy that's going to lift all Americans"), Ivanka looks down and to her right again (guilt and shame) while she simultaneously displaying a Jaw Jut (signifying a surge of adrenaline). This is a profound moment of emotional dissonance as she's rationalizing her father's behavior.
Just after she says, "... annnd [sic] that's - what his number one role is.", Ivanka Trump displays a feigned smile. If it were sincere, we would see classic temporary, concave-up furrows in each of her lower eyelids and we would not see even a hint of her lower teeth. In such moments of insincerity - the corners of the mouth pull out laterally (to the sides as is seen here) versus much more upward vectoring (as is seen with sincere aka a Duchenne Smile).
Furthermore, in a general sense, smiling (albeit insincere) in this moment is significantly out of context. Attempting a smile when the social situation seems incongruous with joy-happiness is always a red flag.
Just after Deborah Roberts asks, "... a White House advisor, do you advise him on his tone?", Ivanka Trump inhales deeply and displays another Self Righteous Head Wiggle (4:08) - this one much more extreme than the example cited above - then saying, "He's - my father and he's my boss ..."
SUMMARY: Ivanka Trump is indeed worried about Robert Muller's investigation. She has significant anxiety about her family's association with Russia - and she's attempting to distance herself from President Trump, her brothers, and her husband.
Ivanka Trump also displays a high level of hubris and self-righteousness - emotions which fundamentally overlap with, and are byproducts of, self-deception.
The above image and the close-up below were taken at the White House on 2 August 2017. Ivanka Trump was chairing a meeting in the Roosevelt Room addressing what the administration could do to help support military spouses.
Ms. Trump's hands are configured in what, in body language parlance, is termed a Steeple. More specifically, this is what is known as a Pistol Steeple.
The word Pistol is a nonverbal metaphor in this context - and in several ways. The shape of the hands with three fingers intertwined while extending parallel forefingers (index fingers) mimics the morphology of a handgun. Many people will hold a handgun in a similar manner (only with all fingers around the pistol grip) - and not surprisingly, children "playing guns" will hold their hands this way.
The metaphor, however, extends even further. For when a person holds their hands in the pistol steeple, they are very much shooting down the idea or proposal being discussed. The pistol steeple is very much a Hyper-Alpha gesture (illustrator). The additional component of holding it physically high (level with her neck) further amplifies it's alpha assertiveness and aggressiveness (Occasionally, the pistol steeple is held even higher - in front of one's face).
SUMMARY: Whenever a person uses a pistol steeple, they view themselves as the most alpha individual in the room. (In this case, although there were at least two cabinet-level officials in the room,
Ivanka Trump is the President's daughter, Senior Advisor to the
President, and she was chairing the meeting). Individuals using a pistol steeple are recognized as having (or sometimes they're taking) what amounts to veto power and they're effectively killing an idea/proposal.
If your boss begins using a pistol steeple in your presence, take heed - for your days of employment are probably numbered. If you're an attorney and the judge uses a pistol steeple when addressing you - change your tactics. If your spouse frequently points a pistol steeple at you - call a marriage counselor.
The
fact that Ivanka Trump used this High Pistol Steeple to shoot down an
idea/ideas while meeting with military spouses - carries a particularly
high level of irony.
Yesterday, Axios' Mike Allen interviewed the eldest first daughter and presidential advisor, Ivanka Trump. What follows is a partial nonverbal analysis of a key portion of Ms. Trump's reaction to Robert Mueller and the June 2016 Trump Tower meeting.
IVANKA TRUMP: [Positions her mouth to answer, pauses, smiles-laughs, blushes, then answers] No ∆ and No∆
MIKE ALLEN: Jonathan Swan? Ahum, the great Jonathan Swan is gonna pick up on anything missed, nixed, orrr botched here. Go ahead Jonathan.
IVANKA TRUMP: And by 'See any of those visitors', I assume - I've seen my husband. And I've se-ee-ee-en [laughing] § [gestures right hand, palm-forward and tilted-down toward journalist in a dominance/refuting display as she laughs] and I've seen my brother [laughing, now with a two-handed palm forward display] §§ but - No.
MIKE ALLEN: But you didn't talk to any of the Russian visitors from there, right?
IVANKA TRUMP: No-o-oh[Laughing, shaking head side-to-side, in a "No" illustrator, blushing deeply]
Very early in this video, during 0:05 as the Journalist says the word, "... know ...", Ivanka Trump displays a subtle yet highly significant microexpression display.
Microexpressions are very short-lived facial movements indicating specific emotions. This particular microexpression was a manifestation of anxiety-fear.
A couple seconds later, during 0:07 as the Journalist says the word, "... twenty ...", Ivanka Trump displays a second microexpression of anxiety-fear. This example is more subtle.
Please watch these at regular speed, at 1/2, and at 1/4 speed - then once again at regular speed. Repeat this cycle several times. This practice will increase your ability to detect this and other microexpressions in real-time.
After the Journalist finishes asking his initial question, just after he says, "... Or did you see any of those visitors?", Ivanka Trump positions her mouth to answer. She then pauses. The image immediately above captures the moment she held her mouth configuration as she paused (during 0:10).
This is a stalling behavior tactic and it's rarely fully conscious. Ivanka's psyche is caught off guard and even though her answer is a simple denial, she needs more time to formulate it.
Note also that she's looking up to slightly to her left. This is the quadrant
most right-handed people look toward when they're recalling a visual memory (Ms.
Trump is right-handed).
She then smiles, laughs, blushes (during 0:11), then proceeds to answer.
The subject matter at hand is one of national security and is not humorous - either from the point-of-view of the average person watching - or if one had been falsely accused in a conspiracy.
Her laughter is a brief, breathy chuckle. Her smile is accompanied by a deep and long-lasting blush.
She then does something contradictory and profoundly telling. Ivanka Trump nods her head up-and-down in a characteristic "Yes" gesture (illustrator) while speaking her answer, "No." She does this during 0:12 and again during 0:14.
These actions are notated in the dialog by the ∆ symbols.
Whenever nonverbal behavior is disparate with one's verbal behavior,
it's the nonverbal language which tells their true feelings. Her
up-and-down nodding (yes) was an affirmation.
A detail not to be lost here, and which is also a microexpression - is Ms. Trump's evanescent Lip Pursing - which is particularly evident during the second "No" (0:14, image immediately above).
A Forward Lip Purse indicates a withheld (secret) disagreement and/or a clandestine plan.
Ms. Trump gestures with her right hand (during 0:28), palm forward and tilted downward in a dominant gesture just after she says, "And by 'See any of those visitors', I assume - I've seen my husband. And I've se-ee-ee-en [laughing]".
This illustrator is notated in the dialog by a single § symbol.
This illustrator is repeated with both hands just after Ms. Trump says, "... and I've seen my brother ..." (notated by the double §§ symbol, during 0:29)
These palm-out, tilted-downward, gestures are refuting, dominating displays.
Ivanka Trump's laughing is forced and feigned - but her blushing is very real. Blushing is always significant and it can't be faked.
Ms. Trump's faux laughing is melodramatic and extremely out-of-context. This is not an occasion to laugh - whether she is guilty or innocent. Coupled with her deep and prolonged blushing, it's highly indicative of anxiety and deception.
This is a classic example of Queen Gertrude's observation in
Shakespeare's Hamlet, "The Lady doth protest too much, methinks." And
this too is a play within a play.
Note as Ms. Trump turns (mostly with her head, neck, and eyes - but less so with her torso) toward Jonathan Swan - and
as he asks his question, she maintains a high level of anxiety. She must 'burn off' her
excess adrenaline and she accomplishes this by nodding
her head up and down with a relatively high frequency - during his question from 0:42 - 0:44, 0:48 - 1:03, and 1:05 -
1:06.
SUMMARY: Ivanka Trump's nonverbal, verbal, and paralanguage behavior displayed in this video demonstrates that, with extremely high probability, she is being deceptive and did have foreknowledge of the 9 June 2016 Trump Tower meeting.
On 7 June 2016, two days prior to the now infamous Trump Tower meeting, Donald Trump gave a speech in Westchester, New York. A video of that speech is included above. It took place on the same night the presumptive Republican nominee won primaries in California, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Dakota, and South Dakota.
What follows is a nonverbal analysis of a small but crucial portion of that speech - when Trump teased the electorate with the forthcoming release of damaging information on Hillary Clinton.
Beginning at 7:02, Candidate Trump continues, "... I am going to give a major speech on - probably Monday of next week and we're going to be discussing all of the things that have taken place with the Clintons. I think you're going to find it very informative and very, very interesting."
About a second after he finishes this sentence (during 7:20), Donald Trump displays a profoundly telling nonverbal signal - a Loose Tongue Jut.
A loose tongue jut indicates the thought feelings of:
• I've been bad
• I've done a foolish thing
• I've been caught/I'm going to be caught
If we look carefully though, less than a second prior to this loose tongue jut (also during 7:20), we see another significant display - subtle, but just as insightful: a Tongue-in-Cheek maneuver.
A tongue-in-cheek dynamic projects the thought-feelings of:
• I Won
• Gotcha!
• Overlapping Smugness
Now, look at this wider angle image of the same moment. Ivanka Trump's body language was also noteworthy. Ms. Trump, who, three seconds earlier, had been looking at the audience:
• Turned her head, neck, and eyes toward her father
• Shifted back and forth on her feet
• Momentarily suppressed a mouth smile
• Pulled her cheeks inward
• Blushed slightly
• Narrowed her eyes (partially closed her eyelids)
Ivanka Trump held this facial expression for about two seconds.
The action of pulling or sucking one's cheeks inward - often biting the insides of
the cheeks mildly to moderately - is a common subconscious and
edge-of-consciousness maneuver occurring during the suppression of
smiling. At 7:23, Ms. Trump can't resist and then smiles fully.
This particular cluster pattern of suppressed smiling was an example of Duping Delight. She is experiencing sincere joy-happiness in her belief that she knows a secret. It would have been very natural and normal for context to smile when your father is the presumptive Republican Presidential nominee, yet she reigned-in her smile. Her blushing while biting/sucking in her cheeks are especially telling - and indicate that she was doing her best to maintain a poker face - to avoid divulging information. She wanted to keep clandestine.
SUMMARY: Donald Trump's nonverbal behavior during this speech is highly consistent with his belief that he's about to receive politically damaging
information regarding Hillary Clinton. He is smug and giddy with anticipation. This speech took place two days prior to the 9 June 2016 Trump Tower Meeting - and
four days after Donald Trump Jr and Rob Goldstone arranged the meeting.
Moreover, Ivanka Trump's simultaneous nonverbal behavior indicates with high probability, that she also had foreknowledge of the Trump Tower meeting.
